Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical instruments. More particularly, the present invention relates to a nasal dilator to be used as a breathing aid.
Description of the Related Art
Due to health problems, such as deviated septa, obesity, allergies, cold, congestion, and medications used for said health problems and others, many people suffer from breathing problems. They are not able to breathe efficiently through their nose due to the restricted nasal passages, and are prone to breathe through their mouth.
Hospital studies have established that nocturnal mouth breathing is a primary cause of loud snoring. Snoring is a precursor to sleep apnea and apnea a precursor to heart attacks which, can result in dying in one's sleep. Published western clinical evidence clearly proved that mouth breathing, is one of two immediate leading causes of mortality in the severely sick due to chronic diseases. Due to the lack of proper oxygenation, the ability to deliver fully oxygenated blood to the cells is also much reduced. Thus mouth breathing has a negative effect on every cell in the body as it deprives them of oxygen. Overall wellness and health requires proper oxygen as every particle of our being requires oxygen. Cancer cells, by the way, are anaerobic (living in the absence of oxygen) by design. In contrast, proper nose breathing delivers fully oxygenated blood to the body, reduces hypertension and stress, and promotes cardiovascular heath. The nostrils and sinuses filter and warm the air that enters the lungs. Thus, proper nose breathing is essential for wellbeing of humans.
Conventional nose breathing aids provide temporary relief from restricted breathing. Traditional aids include nasal sprays, and various types of nasal dilators, sinus cones, nasal strips, and springs to hold nasal passages open. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,263 by Al Scoggins discloses a cheek tape having adhesive for pulling the nasal cavity open during use. These items have various names on the market. In addition, there exists nose mounted dilators wherein adhesive is used to adhere the dilator to the user's face or nose. The nose mounted dilator includes a resilient bar having an adhesive portion on either end. When the adhesive portions are attached to the side walls of the nose, the bar is bent and attempts to spring back into a straightened state, which in turn pulls the nostrils apart, thereby diluting the nasal passages and providing breathing relief to the user.
However, the adhesive portions on the nose mounted dilator tend to lose sticking power due to secretion of oils from the nose. Further, the nose mounted dilator is not suitable for wearing during long periods of exercise, as the adhesive portions lose sticking power due to excessive sweating. The quality of adhesive portions of the dilator generally restricts it to being a onetime use, disposable type product.
U.S. patent application 2012/0160240 by Michael J. Spano discloses a sleep mask that integrates a nasal dilator. The nasal dilation element includes a channel through which a band can move substantially orthogonal to the wearer's nose. Sidewalls center the band and inward folded cuffs retain the band. Such bands are complex in construction, expensive, and fell to provide the force required for adequately palling the wearer's nostrils and retaining the dilator in place.
There exists nasal dilators that also clip to the nasal septum (the divider between the nostrils), or slid into the nasal passage, and are sold under the trade names: Clip Air®, Breathe EZ™, Breathe Quiet, Max-Air, Nasilator, Brez, Nosovent, Respirn, Sinus Cones, Sleep Right, Breathe-ezy Nasal Filters, and Nasaline®, among others.
The disadvantage of most nose mounted dilators mounted inside the nasal cavity, is that while most of them do actually dilate the nasal passages, the product itself becomes a new obstruction, and is most noticeable during exhalation. Upon exhalation, the user will experience the deflection of hoi breath against the apparatus. Consequently, this apparatus can become bothersome, and will generally not be worn for extended periods of time, thereby forfeiting the benefits of enhanced nose breathing.
In light of the foregoing, there exists a continued need for a simple, economical, non-medicated forms of nasal breathing relief, to provide a solution that overcomes the above mentioned problems associated with the prior art alternatives.